Improvement in stone-channeling machines



N WETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHAR. WASHINGTON, D C.

duidt %ttia Csar FRANCIS' o. frnnanwnm., Jn., on New YORIQN. Y., AND nenNnzER G.LAM`soN, on

` WINDSOR, VERMONT; san) '.rnnknwnnn AssIGNs To sArnLArirsoN.,

Letters Patent No'. 110,404,11etedDecember 20,1870.

IMPRovEMsn-r 'iN sToNE-cHANNl-:LING MACHINES.

The ScheduleI referred to in than Letter!` Patent andmaking part ot thobleme.

Ou'r vinvention relatesv to machines for channeling or grooving stone in quarries; and

K The invention consists 'in a novel construction ot thetrack or frame for supporting the machine, and in anorel construction of the machine to adapt it to be used on `the said track or frame, all as hereinafter more fully explained. y

' Figure lis au end elevation of our vimproved'frame or track, with a cl-ianneling-machine mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same; and

Figures 3 and 4 are views ot portions of the inaa naled to it at each corner, as shown 1n tig. 2. A- simichille detached.

g 1t has been customary heretofore to construct these machines to run on'a 'track made like a railway, and having two parallel rails laid upon the bed of the rock l to be out. In order to use such machines and tracks, it is necessary to have a place prepared ofthe full width and length of the track, on the face of the bed or rock, ou which to locato the track, andiu some ,quarriesfthis requires the expenditure of much time and labor, especially where the strata of the' rock is .inclined or the'surface uneven.

The object of our present invention is to provide a track-and a machine that can be used more advantageously, and with less expense in the preparation of the hed or face of the quarry, and that .is better adapted for use in ravues, -tn11nelsor similar places. To dotllis we construct a track or frame that can be arrangedv to stand in au upright' or inclined position, as represented in tig. 1. This track consists of a single Stick of timber, A, at the bottom, and a top bar, B,

. the two being rmly connected by suitable cross-ties v and braces, so as to make a light and rigid frame,

To the lower bar we secure a metallic bar or rail,

l1, and to the upper one we attach a similar rail or` bar,c, both having V-shapcd edges, 'as represented in tig 1 'lo thel upper bar l we pivot two or more braces, D, to the lower end` of .which are hinged blocks or foot-pieces p, providedwith holes for the insertion of bolts for clamping them to lthe bed or face of the rock. These braces may be simply rigid bars, or they may be composed of two parts, which are made tubular, and are united by a rod, E, having a right and left- .hand screw cut thereon, so that, by turning this rod,

thc braces can be lengthencdfE or shortenedl for the purpose of adjusting the frame or track at any dcsiredA angle. For the purpose of preventing the track from slipping, and also toallord bearingsou which the track may be turned as itI is 'adjusted,lwe insert a b oltinthe lowerrail, the point of which protrudes .from its underside, asrepresented ata', fig. 1.

-The machine to be yused with this track consists of an vopen frame, F, whichihas mounted in it an'oscill' lating steam-engine' or cy1inder,G, providedwith suit-4 able valves'aud fixtures. In the upperportion of this frame is located a' shaft, H, which is driven by the engine, and which 'shaft extends through the front side ot' t-he frame F, and basvattached to t-a crank, L, which is connected by a pitman, N,l and-boxspring', O, or other yielding device, to the crosshead or clamp P, which -holds the', drills or `cutters T, and which plays to vand fro onf the guide-bars Q, secured by' brackets It to the frontside of the frame F, as shown in iig. 1. The franieF is widened out laterally at the bottom in front, andv has a groovedwheehJ, jourlar wheel, U, isalso secured to the rear side ofthe frame F, at such a height that, when the wheels .I are placed on the 'lower rail, this wheelU will engage with the under edge of the upper rail, thus @holding v vthe machine on the trackin a position Ithat will enable it to 'be moved back and forth thereon.`

In order to feed the machiu'c'back and forth on the track, we use the following feed-mecllani sm:"l`o the lower rail of the track we secure asprocket-chain, Y,

which is arranged parallelwith,the` face of the rail,

and is securely fastened at each end, as 'represented in fig; 2.

attached toit another wheel, M, having notches onits periphery, as shown in tlg.;4. This sprocket-wheel X isalso provided onits rear face witha circleof bevel-gear teeth, which engagevrwith two bevel-gear wheels, m and a, one arranged tovengagei with its upper, andthe-other Awitlrits lower face, and both turning looselyl on the same shaft. A clutch,o, is

i placed ou the shaft between these wheels mand n,

the clutch o being arrangedV .to slide to and fro on its shaft to engage with either ofthe wheels m or n, but being prevented fromturning on the shaftby mean:

'of a feather or spline`,iu theusual manner v,in suol:

cases. At its upper end this shaft has'secured upon it rigidly a pinion, l, which gears into a'corresponding pinion, d, securedto the lower end of a shaft, I, which, being provided with a univcrsaljoint, and mounted in suitable bearings attached to the frame F, extends upward to the driving-shaft H, as represented in figs. l and 2. At its upper' end this shaft I is provided with a worm-wheel', f, which engages with a screwwheel or sleeve, h, on the driving-shaft, by-which means motion is imparted to the feed-mechanism bev On y the frame F, vmidway between thel wheels J, we mount a sprocket-wheel X,` which has low. The chain Y being secured to the lower rail at each end, as previously stated, is passed under both of the wheels J, which are provided with a groove for that purpose, and over the sprocket-wheel X, and under an adjustable tightening-pulley y, as represented in iig. 2; so that, wiien motion is imparted to the feed-mechanism, as previously described, the ma-.

chine is fed along on the track by the sprocket-wheel X taking hold on the chain Y. y

A lever, t, suitably arranged, as shown iu lig. 2 serves to move the clutch o, soA as to engage .with

.either of the wheels m or n, and thus causes the maof the dog v, so as to engage with a pin or projection on the latter, and thus lock the dog in any required position.

When the dog c is thrown to one side, one of its larongs will engage with the wheel M on that side. When reversed it will lock into the wheel oni-he opposlte side; and when secured midway between these extremes, both prongs will be held clear from 'the wheel, as is necessary when the machine is heilig fed along, the function of this dog fu and the notched wheel M being simply to look and hold the machine stationary, as before stated.

It is obvious that the track or frame which supports the machine may be constructed entirely of iron, if preferred, and may be of any desired length. In using it the rail A is secured to the bed-rock by clamps g, or any equivalent means; and the foot ot' the braces D is secured to the rock by a bolt, 1, passing through the foot p and into a hole drilled for it in'the rock. Any required number of hingel braces may be used, and, if desired, bars may be connected to the bed-rail A, and made to extend at right angles therefrom backward, far enough for the foot of the braces to be connected thereto, thus forming a triangular frame. Thisdatter, however, we do not consider best, es'- pecially if the bed-rock be uneven or irregular on its surface.

1t will be seen that, with this style of track and machine, the whole apparatus may be made much lighter than those which have a frame or bed made like a car-body or truck, and which 'run on a horizontal track having two parallel horizont-al rails laid on the face Aof the rock, and which usually have Atheir boiler mounted on the truck, or on an additional truck drawn or pushed by the one which supports and carries the exigirle and cutting apparatus, it heilig understood that, in this case, the engine is` to be supplied with steam from a boiler located at a distance from the machine, and to which it'is to be connected by a rubber or other flexible tube.

A mach-incl and track thus constructed can be set at work in almost any location or position, without the great expenditure of time and money usually required to prepare the face of the quarry for the old style of machines.

The track being trussed or braced, so as to render it rigid in its vertical plane, can be set on the rock at any inclination lengthwise, and-may be supported at its ends alone, thus `passing over hollows or uneven places on thc rock. It is obvious that it may he adjusted at any desired inclination laterally, so as to cut `the grooves at right angles to the strata or layers of the rock, when the latter-have a dip, orare inclined in any direction; or that .it may be inclined Ato cut the groove in an inclined position, or at an angle to the face of the strata or layer of rock,.as is sometimes necessary.

By this method of construction, also, a much less force or number of men is required to move, adjust, and operate the machine; besides which it can be used in localities and positions where the 'old style machines cannot be used.

It is obvious that, it' preferred, instead of having grooved wheels running on a V-shaped rail, the rails may have grooves formed in them, andthe wheels made to run in the grooves in the rails; but this plan we do not consider as good as the former.

It is also obvious that, instead of a single wheel at the top, two or more may be used, and that,viustead of a wheel, simple stationary guides lnay be used, working on the upper rail, or in a groove therein.

It it also further obvious that, instead of the devices shown for imparting motion to the feed mechanism froni the niainshaft, other devices Vor means may be used, it' preferred.

It is also obvious that guys or lines may be used instead of the braces for holding and adjusting the `track or frame in the required posit-ion, -and that, when used in a tunnel or chasm, the frame or track, or the guiding-rail thereof, may be attachedtc or snpported by the ledge or walls, and thus dispense'withboth braces and guys. v i

XVe have described what we consider the best forxn of mechanism for operating the channeling-chisels or cutters; but we do not limit ourselvestln-n'eto, because it is obvious that various other well-known wa 's of working drills or chisels can be applied with good effect, our invention not being of any special way of operating the clianneling-chisels, or of the chisels themselves, but of a inode or means of supporting and guiding them when operating in a quarry.

Having thus described our invention,

What we claii'n, a n'd desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' v l. In combination with a stone-channeling mechanism, a track or guide-frame, consisting of a lower supporting-rail'and an upper guide-rail,,supported in any suitable manner, constructed and operatingsubstantially as described.

2. In combination with a stone-channeling machine, a track or guide-frame,,having alower and an upper supportin g and guidingrail, with the adjustable braces for supporting the frame or track in an upright or in clined position, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination of the rail or track A, having .the chain Ysecured thereto, with the machine hai-ing the griping-wheel X and the pinious on and aand sliding clutch o, all mounted thereon, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as described, for feeding the machine forward or back on the track, as herein set forth.

4. lhe arrangement of the notched wheel M and the bifurcated lever/u, in connection with the feedwheel X for locking the machine fast on the frame at any desired point, substantially as set fort-h.

` F. C. TREADWELL, Jn'. Witnesses: G. LAMSON.

W. O. Denen, A. G. Laiisoiv. 

